Delhi neighbourhood cheers humble Sehwag’s super feat

Delhi neighbourhood cheers humble Sehwag’s super feat
PRIYA KAPOOR

NEW DELHI, MARCH 26: Yet another Indian cricketing hero was born yesterday. And Delhi has a special reason to be proud. Virender Sehwag, the 22-year old lad from Najafgarh in the city's outskirts slammed his way to fame with a torrential 58 runs off 54 balls plus a crucial three-wicket haul against Australia in the first one-day match. For his electrifying perfomance, Sehwag bagged the man-of-the-match awarded.

It isn't exactly easy to find your way to Sehwag's residence in Najafgarh's Lakshmi Bazaar area. Today however, visitors haven't stopped streaming into the Sehwag residence and mother Krishna just cannot stop smiling. While father Krishan Kumar, who is a commision agent in the Najafgarh grain market, is at work, Krishna has been serving tea and barfi to friends and relatives all day. She looks tired as but as her younger son, Vinod, puts it ``today she won't give up.''

Outside, Virender's cousins play cricket in the gallery. Vinod says that he would often help Virender practice his batting by bowling to him. The gate of the house bears the mark of being battered by his constant cricket practice.

Says Krishna ``I was extremely happy yesterday but everything still feels like a dream.'' And she doesn't tire of telling stories of Virender, the third of four children. ``He was extremely naughty and never interested in studying.'' She remembers when Virender was in Class X and had to go for tution classes at 6.00am, the first thing he would do when he woke was to kiss a cricket ball and say ``What's the big deal, exams will come again next year.''

But despite his disinterest in academics, Sehwat finished his graduation from Jamia University last year.

And even before he spoke his first proper words, this off spinner-batsman all rounder used to point at plastic cricket bats and balls and indicate that thats what he wanted. At first Sehwag's father Krishna and mother Krishan were apprehensive about his choice of career but after he was chosen in the under 16 team they realised just how serious he was. At this time he was being taught basic techniques by coach A.N Sharma at his G Block Vikaspuri school.

Says Vinod, ``It all begin with friendly cricket matches played in the colony. All the kids used to play but by far, Virender was the best.'' He narrates an interesting story. There were two cricket teams in the neighbourhood. The opposing team challenged Sehwag's team to make 150 runs in 15 overs. Vinod remembers how all his teammates thought it was impossible but Virender saved them when he made all the 150 runs himself in 10 overs.

The rise from colony cricket to international cricket has been slow but steady. After playing for under-16, he was a part of the under-19 World Cup team which went to South Africa. Ironically, it was in his debut Ranji Trophy match against Haryana (the state of his origin) that Sehwat scored his first century. Then came the first international match against Pakistan in 1999, following which he was named as one of the World Cup 1999 probables and then a forgettable performance against Zimbawe in December. Finally two years of a continous supelative performance in domestic, state, company and zone matches, Sehwat struck it big in yesterday's match.

``We have really missed him in the last three years,'' says Vinod. ``Besides the weddings of his two elder sisters, he has not been able to attend any of cousins' weddings or festivals,'' says an emotional Krishna. ``Balu (Virender) has become quiet and reserved in the last three years also,'' says Vinod.

``He called this morning for two minutes and all I could ask him was if his thumb injury was better. It hurts a lot to see him getting injuries,'' says Krishna who did not understand cricket till very recently. Virender's favourite things to eat is kheer and milk. Krishna says, ``I will make kheer for him when he comes back but I don't know if he will have the time to eat it.''